Conveyer



Aug. 12, 1941.

A; DE L. SINDEN CONVEYER Filed Aug. 51, 1940 Patented Aug. 12, 1941 CONVEYER I Alfred De Los Sinden. Aurora, Ill., asslgnor to Redler Conveyor Com corporation of Massac pany, Quincy, Mass, 9. husetts Application August 31, 1940, Serial No. 354,946

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a conveyer for conveying flowable solid material.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved conveyer of the character specified in which provision is made for reducing to a minimum any tendency of the material from becoming compacted between adjacent conveying members of the conveying element during the transportation of the material by the'conveyer thus promoting eiiicient and economical conveyer operation.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved conveyer of the type having a conveying element made up of a plurality of spaced transverse flight members of solid construction adapted to be moved through a casing extending through curved and straight paths to effect the conveyance of the material therethrough, in which the casing is constructed in a manner such as to reduce to a minimum'the compression of the material between adjacent flights as they pass from a curved to a straight path.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the conveyer and in the various structures,'arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front view of a conveyer embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation in cross section of the conveyer shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the section taken n the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail view inperspective of the preferred form of flight employed in the conveying element of the present conveyer.

In general, in its preferred form, 'the invention contemplates a conveyer in which the conveying element is made up of a plurality of spaced transverse flight members of solid'construction, arranged to be drawn through a casing or conduit having a curved portion and a substantially straight portion through which the material is conveyed, and from which it is discharged. Heretofore it has been the practice to construct the casing of substantially equal cross sectional dimensions throughout the entire working run of the conveyer, and .of a cross section such as to be substantially filled by the individual conveyer One of the inherent disadvantagesin the operation of such prior conveyer-s is that the volumetric space between adjacent flights passing through the curved portion is substantially greater than the volumetric space between adjacent flights in the straight portion of the conveyer because of the fact that the flights flare out radially when passing through the curved section. Also, in the operation of such prior conveyers, it is preferred to maintain theinlet to the conveyer constantly supplied with a full load of material, in order that it may be selffeeding, so that in practice, the space between adjacent flights is entirely filled. As a result,

.when the inlet is disposed in the loop or curved walls of the casing, increasing the power required tomove the material therethrough, and sometimes resulting in jamming of the conveyer and rupture of the conveying element.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for relieving the jamming and congestion of the material between adjacent flights by increasing the cross sectional area of the casing at the straight portion thereof to such an extent as to make the space available in the casing between adjacent flights in the straight portion at least equal to the corresponding space between the flights in the curved portion'of the conveyer casing.

Referring now to the drawing, which illustrates the preferred form of the invention, l0 represents a conveyer casing having a loop portion 12 and a straight portion, herein shown as an upright portion It. The casing is provided with an inlet Ii, inthe loop portion, and anoutlet II! in the upright portion. The flowablesolid material introduced into the casing through the inlet I6 is conveyed through the casing by the cooperation thereiigith of an endless conveying element 20, preferably of solid construction, and herein shown as comprising a plurality-of pivotally connected and spaced flight members 22. As illustrated in detail in Fig. 5, each flight member includes a relatively flat, transversely extended portion, rectangular inshape and ot a size such as to substantially fill the cross sectional area of the casing at the loop or curved portion thereof. One face of the flight is provided with an integral hollow hub 24 and an integral connecting link 26 extends from the opposite face of the flight. The connecting link 26 is provided with an enlargement 28 at its outer end which is adapted to be received in a slotted portion 30 of the hollow hub 24 of a preceding flight.. The endless conveying element 20 is arranged to be drawn through the casing by a head sprocket 32 disposed in the upper portion of the conveyer and over which the conveying element is arranged to pass. The head sprocket may be driven in any usual or preferred manner, such as by an electric motor, not shown, connected to a sprocket 34 fast on the driven shaft 35. After passing over the head sprocket, the conveying element is guided through the return run 38 of the casing and into the loop portion l2 where it again engages the material to be conveyed.

In accordance with the present invention, the straight or'upright portion M of the casing, which is arranged substantially tangentially with respect to the curved portion I2, is increased in cross sectional area as compared with the curved portion in order to provide more space available in the upright portion of the casing between adjacent flights. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, when the pivotally mounted flights 22 of the conveying element 20 pass through the curved portion 12 of the casing, the flights 22 are flared outwardly substantially radially so that the volumetric space between adjacent flights is increased, and the material introduced into the conveyer through the inlet 16 is arranged to substantially fill the space between the flights. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment of the invention, the outer wall 40 of the upright portion of the casing is flared outwardly from the curved P rtion at the upper part of the curve and in the direction of travel of the conveying element to a point where the casing again assumes a uniform cross sectional area of a size such as to provide a volumetric space between adjacent flights equal to or greater than the space between flights in the curved section. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the curved portion i2 of the casing is of a cross sectional area such as to be substantially filled by the flights 22 of the conveying element, with the usual clearances, and as shown in Fig. 4, the clearance space 42 between the top or outer edge of the flight and the outer wall 40 of the upright portion is substantially increased. Although the preferred form of the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a conveyer for elevating materials, it will be apparent that it may be embodied in a conveyer extending in a horizontal path, or in an angularly inclined direction.

From the above description, it will be observed that the construction of the present conveyer is such that when a full load of material is introduced into the conveyer between adjacent radially disposed flights at the curved portion thereof, such material is permitted to expand when it reaches the straight portion, thus causing the conveyed material to assume a more loose and freely flowing condition, and preventing the jamming and compression of the material and consequent difficulties formerly encountered in prior conveyers of this type.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the internal width of the casing remains the same throughout the entire run, whilethe thickness of the casing with relation to the flights is increased at the straight portion of the casing in order to provide the increased volumetric space. However, it will be apparent that the same result might be obtained by varying the cross sectional dimensions of the casing in either or both directions so long as the internal area is increased.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A conveyer for conveying flowable solid material, comprising a casing arranged to extend in curved and straight paths, an endless conveying element traverslble through the casing comprising a plurality of spaced transversely extended flight members of solid construction arranged to extend out substantially radially when passing through a curved path, said casing being increased in cross sectional area between the curved portion thereof and the outlet.

2. A conveyer for conveying flowable solid material, comprising a casing arranged to extend in curved and straight paths, and an endless conveying element traverslble through the casing comprising a plurality of spaced transversely extended flight members of solid construction arranged to extend out substantially radially when passing through a curved path, said casing being increased in cross sectional area between the curved portion thereof and the outlet.

3. A conveyer for conveying flowable solid material, comprising a casing arranged to extend in a curved and a straight path, said casing having an inlet in said curved path and an outlet in the straight path, and an endless conveying element traversible through the casing comprising a plurality of spaced transversely extended flight members of solid construction arranged to extend out substantially radially when passing through said curved path, said casing being increased in cross sectional area between the curved portion thereof and the outlet.

4. A conveyer for conveying flowable solid material comprising a casing extending through a curved path and through a straight path arranged substantially tangentially with respect to said curved path, an inlet in said curved path, and an endless conveying element traverslble through the casing comprising a plurality of pivotally connected and transversely extended flight members of solid construction arranged to extend out substantially radially when passing through said curved path, said casing being of substantially uniform cross section and of a size to be substantially filled by said conveying element at said curved path and being increased in cross sectional area at said straight path.

5. A conveyer for conveying flowable solid material comprising a casing having an upright portion and a loop portion, an inlet in said loop portion, and an endless conveying element traversible through said casing comprising a plurality of pivotally connected and transversely extended flight members of solid construction, said flight members being arranged to extend out substantially radially when passing through said loop portion, said casing being of substantially uniform cross section and of a size to be substantially fllled by said conveying element at said loop portion and being increased in cross sectional area at said upright portion.

6. A conveyer for conveying flowable solid ma terial comprising a casing having an upright portion and a loop portion, an inlet in said loop porloop portion and being increased in cross sectional area at said upright portion, whereby to provide a volumetric space available between adjacent flights passing through said upright .portion substantially equal to or greater than the volumetric space between adjacent flights in said loop portion.

ALFRED DE LOS SINDEN. 

